"Significant progress has been made on the process of preparing the large volume of court papers required before a summons can issue to Soldier F," a PPS spokeswoman said.

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Thirteen people were killed and 15 wounded on Bloody Sunday

"While this complex process is at an advanced stage, the Public Prosecution Service has had to request some further material from police before the necessary papers can be finalised.

"Based on the estimated time required for this material to be provided, the prosecution team expects to be in a position to issue a summons to the defendant next month."

It said the PPS wrote to families in May to inform them of the decision.

A solicitor for some of the Bloody Sunday families said: "We have requested a timetable in relation to the prosecutions and we had previously made submissions that Soldier F should face criminal proceedings in Derry as it was in this city where the crimes, we say, he committed took place."

Thirteen people were killed and 15 wounded when members of the Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in Derry on Sunday, 30 January 1972.